Special Coverage

My List takes her chance and runs with it

EmailETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Nick Gonzalez knew he was taking a shot when he entered My List, a 3-year-old, against older fillies and mares here in last Sunday's $153,500 Bessarabian at seven furlongs.

"She was going to run in a two-other-than last week," said Gonzalez. "But when I breezed the filly last Sunday, she breezed great."

Gonzalez also was encouraged that Financingavailable, who was last year's Canadian champion older mare, had been retiired and was not in the field.

But the appearance of invader Wild Gams, a multiple Grade 3 winner south of the border, gave Gonzalez pause for new reflection.

In the end, My List rose to the occasion under jockey Eurico Rosa da Silva and recorded her first stakes win in the Bessarabian. She is owned by Carlo and Lou Tucci.

"I was happy for her," said Gonzalez. "A lot of the time she just gets beat. She'd been second twice and third twice in stakes. I knew seven furlongs would be a good distance."

My List indeed has been effective at seven furlongs, with a record of three wins and a second in four tries. Overall, she has recorded 4 wins, 5 seconds, and 5 thirds from 19 starts for earnings of $353,265.

"She was a good 2-year-old and a better 3-year-old," said Gonzalez. "Now that she showed she could beat older horses, I'm hoping for even better things from her next year. She's really a come-from-behind-sprinter, but she's run okay at a middle distance. The older she gets, she might like stretching out."

My List, a Kentucky-bred, will be wintering at veterinarian Leah Guitard's farm in Ontario.

Other Gonzalez-trained Tucci Stable runners who will be getting a break there include Artie Hot, a 3-year-old gelding who upset the Ontario Derby; Executrix, an Ontario-sired 2-year-old filly who won the Nandi; and Name in Lights, a Kentucky-bred 3-year-old filly who won twice this year under allowance terms.

Gonzalez himself will be shuttling between his farm in Ocala, Fla., and Gulfstream Park, where he has 10 stalls.

Trainer has two for Kingarvie

In the meantime, Gonzalez plans to enter both Stuck in Traffic and Delaforce here in Saturday's $125,000 Kingarvie, a 1 1/16-mile race for Ontario-sired 2-year-olds.

Stuck in Traffic, who won the six-furlong Vandal this summer and the seven-furlong Frost King in his last start, could earn himself a trip to Florida in the Kingarvie, in which he will be trying two turns for the first time.

"If he can't go two turns, there's no sense in bringing him to Florida," said Gonzalez, whose primary reason for taking Stuck in Traffic south would be to prepare for a run at the Queen's Plate.

Shilla, a 2-year-old filly whom Gonzalez trains for owner-breeder Brian Cullen, will be heading south with a long-term eye toward next June's 1 1/8-mile Woodbine Oaks.

"We'll turn her out for a month and a half, then start getting her ready," said Gonzalez.

Shilla put together a three-race win streak that climaxed with the six-furlong Fanfreluche, but then finished third last out as the odds-on choice in the seven-furlong Glorious Song.

"She wasn't herself," said Gonzalez. "We took a blood on her two days later, and her white count was out of whack. She was fighting off an infection."

Discreet Commander could go west next year

Discreet Commander was coming off a maiden win into last Saturday's $127,000 Display and seemed to stand little chance in a field that included many of the top 2-year-old males to have appeared here this season.

But trainer Arthur Silvera had other plans, and Discreet Commander, under new rider Constant Montpellier, led throughout the 1 1/16-mile Display for a nose victory and an $85.60 payoff.

Discreet Commander, a Kentucky-bred who is owned by a partnership headed by David Rowbotham and Doug Lindskog, had been a front-running winner in his first try at 1 1/16 miles here Nov. 2.

"I'd definitely thought he'd like stretching out, and he beat a decent maiden field," said Silvera. "He finished up as strong, if not stronger, than the rest of the field. His last eighth was snappy.

"So, I gave him a decent shot Saturday. I told Constant I thought if he was able to dangle along on any sort of soft pace he could win the sprint coming home."

Discreet Commander now will be heading to Classic Mile Farm in Florida, where Silvera does his winter training.

"He'll get some R&R in a paddock," said Silvera. "I'll let him down quietly."

Discreet Commander, being Kentucky-bred, will not have an abundance of options here next season.

Silvera, however, would consider casting an eye westward - the derbies in Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia are open to all 3-year-olds.

"Those races could be good for him," said Silvera. "He strikes me as a grinder who could get up to a mile and a quarter.

"And, I also think he could move his game up on the grass. He worked fantastic on the grass before his first start."

Initforreal approaching stakes debut

Silvera also trains Initforreal, a promising 2-year-old filly, for the same partnership.

Initforreal won her maiden running seven furlongs for a $32,000 claiming price and then was beaten a head when trying two turns for the first time in a first-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles on Oct. 31.

On Sunday, Initforreal worked six furlongs in 1:14 under Montpellier, her regular rider.

Initforreal is slated to make her stakes debut here in Sunday's $150,000 Ontario Lassie, a 1 1/16-mile race for Ontario-foaled fillies.

"I maintain she's going to be a real nice filly," said Silvera. "She's going to be a force to reckon with."